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Since the passing of Twins executive Mike Radcliff just over a week ago, many have sent their tributes and condolences. Today, I would like to share the thoughts of several people who have spent a lot of time with Radcliff and learned much from his leadership, scouts in the Twins organization. Terry Ryan hired Mike Radcliff from the Major League Scouting Bureau in 1987 as an area scout around his home in Kansas City. A year later, he became the team’s Midwest Supervisor. In 1994, he became the Scouting Director and remained in charge of the draft through the 2007 season. Since then, he has been involved in all Player Personnel decisions. In short, over his 36 years with the Twins, Mike Radcliff has worked with a lot of people, a lot of area scouts, supervisors, cross-checkers and front office personnel. I asked Twins scouts what they have learned over the years from Mike Radcliff, and while they each have their own stories and memories, the themes are often the same. To summarize: Mike Radcliff was one of the most respected people inside the Twins organization but also around all baseball circles. John Manuel certainly has a unique perspective as it relates to Radcliff. Manuel was a long time writer and editor at Baseball America. He has been in the Twins pro scouting department for about the past five years. He recalls a survey that they sent out around 2006. “I ranked the Twins prospects for the first time after the 2006 season, and that was just after Jim Callis conducted a survey of scouting directors, and 17 of the 28 voted for Mike as the best scouting director in the game.” Manuel continued, “So I knew that when I got to do the Twins’ list, first I needed to call Mike and I knew that he would be helpful. But I didn’t know just how helpful he would be and how much I would learn from him. He talked about scouting terms not as jargon but as a way to understand baseball and players. A specific example was when he explained an “uphill” swing to me with specific examples to watch, such as Mark Teixeira, and also the downside (and upside) of such swings. It was eye-opening, and I was jealous of Jim Callis because Jim insisted on keeping Mike as a draft source, meaning that I had to keep him just as a Twins source. I would sneak draft talk into my Twins calls with him, sandwiched around Roy Williams talk after he left Cliffy’s Kansas Jayhawks for my North Carolina Tar Heels.” Manuel had a ton of respect for Mike Radcliff and his opinion that he reached out to him before applying for the Twins scouting job. “When I stumbled into discussing a pro scouting job with the Twins, I literally gave Mike veto power over whether or not I would apply for the job. I called him the day after I had my first contact with Derek Falvey about the job and told him I would not actually apply unless he thought I would be a good fit for the organization, but he encouraged me to apply. I’m forever grateful that he thought I was worthy of being part of the organization. Now it's up to those of us who are still here to live up to the standard that he set, to get to the park early, to be last to leave, to know as much about the players involved as possible and to help the Twins acquire championship-caliber players.” In the days following the announcement of Radcliff’s death, I reached out to scouts. One of the first I heard back from was Assistant Director of Amateur Scouting, Tim O’Neil. He joined the organization in 1994. Of course, I heard from him late in the evening because he had what he referred to as a “Cliffy-type day.” He scouting a 9am game that morning, then went to an alumni game at a Division I college, and then a national workout featuring “all the best high school players in the West.” Of Radcliff, he noted, “Mike was the smartest guy in the room, the most talented scout in the room, the hardest worker in the room, and the humblest guy in the room. He was incredible Seth. Died with zero enemies - zero.“ O’Neil continued, “No one could accurately describe Mike's work ethic and passion for the Twins. He was in a hotel 320+ nights a year, sometimes 2-3 months straight, 2-3-4 games a day, if possible. Every decision, every acquisition, every hire, promotion, release, divorce, birth, death, etc went through Mike. He genuinely cared about everyone and treated everyone with incredible respect. One interesting fact - he didn't like to shake hands, I never saw him hug anyone. But he offered more love and kindness than anyone I've ever met.” Freddie Thon joined the organization 10 years ago as an area scout in Puerto Rico and South Florida. He is now an amateur cross-checker. “I knew Cliffy for a long time, but not as long as many others. I was fortunate enough to work with him on the draft side as well as on the International side. I am pretty sure that everyone will repeat this sentiment, but it’s just undeniable that his work ethic and his commitment to the Twins was A+.It simply can’t be topped.” Emphatically, Thon added, “Aside from that, I have wanted to share with people how great of a guy he was, how genuine he was with all of us younger scouts, how well he treated every single person he came across, and the fact that he was truly one of the funniest people I knew. He will be missed, but I know this group will continue to honor him for many many years.” Mike Ruth joined Radcliff and the Twins in 1989. After years as an area scout, he has been the Midwest Supervisor for many years. He described what Radcliff meant to so many in the organization. “I’ve been thinking a lot about all I learned from Mike these past few days. He hired me as a young area scout 35 years ago, and I can’t begin to tell you what a privilege it has been to work with him and see up close his unfailing dedication to the Twins and more importantly the scouts, players, coaches, and staff who make up the Twins. He drafted and signed so many Twins icons (Hunter, Cuddyer, Mauer, Morneau, Perkins, etc) but his real legacy is the way he poured into so many people’s lives and the bonds he built to connect and elevate everyone in the organization and in the entire baseball world. To the scouts and the staff he was our Puckett; a guy who gave everyone around him such energy and optimism no matter what the circumstance and would carry the day in the toughest of times. If you remember as a fan what a blow it was the day Puck retired that’s how all of us are feeling today times a thousand.” Ruth continued, “The two lessons that really stand out to me really don’t involve baseball, just how to author a life that honors the people around you and lets them feel appreciated and heard while making sure every success was shared and that his role in those successes was seen as secondary to everyone else. When you have a leader that sees life that way every day you work with them is a joy. When I was a young scout I was initially impressed with all the “famous” people he knew. You couldn’t go anywhere with him that a GM, ML player or coach, national writer or broadcaster wouldn’t come up and start talking with him and he was always so generous with his willingness to introduce me and allow me into the conversation. It was very heady stuff for someone just breaking into the business and he never did it to impress, only to be inclusive. But as I got older what really impressed me and taught me the most was all the “non-famous” people he knew around the game. It would have been easy for him to isolate himself among the elite and live in that world exclusively like many do. Instead he built relationships with the first-year scouts, not only with the Twins but anyone who just wanted to talk about the game and learn. With the interns and people just breaking into the game. The college assistant coaches. The office staff at the minor league affiliates. The beat writers and bloggers. The people who cleaned the offices at Target Field. If you wanted to talk and learn, he always made time and job title or status in the game was never a barrier to building a new friendship. Mike never took from relationships, he added to everyone he touched and the stories of his generosity and kindness are legendary. The second thing was his love of eating in groups. He had his favorite places and meals but for him eating was more about fellowship than food. At the table, everyone was equal and all ideas were worth consideration. Debate was encouraged without fear of embarrassment or retribution. All opinions had weight and worthiness and laughter was plentiful. I learned more about scouting and life during the hundreds of meals I had with him than anywhere else in my life. It was a Master course not only in every facet of baseball but in building a life well lived.” Billy Milos joined the Twins organization in 1994 as an area scout. He has spent time on the amateur side of scouting, in pro scouting and has been quite involved with the Twins signing players from independent leagues. The two worked together and watched a lot of baseball together over the past several decades. “He was my boss for decades. Even when he wasn’t my boss, he was still my boss. The number of lessons and “teachings” are too numerous to count. But the one that stands out is learning how to listen from him. It was something I needed as a young scout and something he excelled at with ease. He didn’t try to teach it, it just rubbed off on you by watching him.” He referred to Radcliff as “the hardest working person I’ve ever met in my life! A Hall of Fame scout, Scouting Director, Baseball Executive, and human being. He can not be replaced.” He continued, “Highly intelligent. A photographic memory. He could think and respond swiftly but yet in such a calm manner. Such great people skills, and a great sense of humor too. He was the type of leader that let you do your job. Never hovered over you. He loved having his work plate overflowing at all times. For him, that was comforting. He was so organized you would never know how much information passed through him each and every day until you listened to him. He could cover six completely different current events in one 10 minute conversation and be completely up to date on all six. It was dizzying! How did he keep up like this every single day of his life? An amazing individual that excelled in every single aspect of the human spirit. Mike knew everything going on in baseball. Here is a man fully immersed in the draft. That was his love. But he knew all the best players for the next two drafts as well. But more amazing, he knew everything going on across the big leagues, minor leagues and the world of International prospects. It was just plain scary that he could sit there and have a discussion with you that spanned across all the different segments of baseball. Organizations have different departments for each aspect of baseball, and many people working within each department. Well, he had all that stuff in his head at any one time and could talk to you about any of it without looking at his phone or opening up his tablet. That's the truth. And if that wasn’t enough you could start talking about college basketball, or some random current event in America, or finance.You name it, and he was on top of it. He somehow crammed 36 hours into every day.” Brad Steil joined the Twins organization as an intern and is about to begin his 23rd year in the organization. He has been involved in scouting and baseball operations. He was the Twins Director of Minor league League Operations for five years and is now in his sixth year as Director of Player Procurement. He said, “When I started with the Twins, I worked closely with Mike on a daily basis. So I owe a lot to him for teaching me as much as he did early on. On a personal level, Mike was truly a phenomenal human being and a great friend. His kindness, empathy, and integrity really set him apart. In the baseball world, nobody was more respected for their evaluation skills and work ethic. It was a true privilege working with him for over 20 years, and I will always be grateful for his friendship.” John Wilson joined the Twins in the early ‘90s. He can be seen in ballparks from North Carolina to Maine and everywhere in between. “Mike was my scouting director for 14 years. That's just not the norm anymore, but then again, Mike wasn't about ‘norms.’ One of Mike's strengths was that he supported and trusted his scouts. In my opinion, this allowed us to thrive and gave us confidence to create our own style and give our own opinions. Mike didn't teach us what to think, he taught us how to think. To look beyond the game, the field or a particular play. As a scout, you did your homework because you knew that is what he wanted, and you didn’t want to let him down. He led by example with his work ethic, so you followed his lead. One thing about Mike that was both challenging and humorous was that it was impossible to beat him to the ballpark, no matter how hard you tried. When it came to evaluating players, Mike was like your junior high math tutor. He'd let you work through and solve a problem, even though he knew the answer all along.” Wilson shared one story that illustrates his eye for talent. “One story that I'll always remember is at our organizational meetings in October 1996, Mike came up to me and told me ‘get to know Cuddyer, he’s gonna be our guy at pick 9’ (in the 1997 draft). This shows the depth and skill he had to be able to predict which guys would be available to us, even though the draft was eight months away.” Wilson also shared a story to illustrate one of Radcliff’s best traits. “A great example of his humility and how he preferred to stay behind the scenes, was when Michael Cuddyer was put into the Twins Hall of Fame. The Twins brought me out to Minnesota. Mike Radcliff was there but wouldn't go onto the field for the ceremony. I think he just preferred to sit back in the shadows and let others be recognized, even though so much of what was accomplished was because of him. Mike could have beat his chest with all he accomplished. He could have postured for GM jobs, but I believe Mike loved the Twins. He loved the people he worked with and enjoyed helping us grow. He was famous for starting a discussion and letting us run with it.” You may know Jack Powell from his cameo on Trouble with the Curve, but when he’s not acting, he is an area scout for the Twins in Georgia, eastern Tennessee and in the Florida Panhandle. “I learned to be patient and let the process work. “Know before you go” equals ‘gather up as much info about the player you are about to see so you can have an idea about him, especially on one you have never seen. Love God, your family, your friends, and job. Treat each other with the same respect you expect them to return to you. Mike was someone I respected for 40 years working across the aisle from him. I was blessed to have worked side-by-side with him over the past 15+ years. He will be missed and thought of forever.” Ken Compton is a professional scout with the Twins and has also learned a lot with and under Mike Radcliff. He said recently, “Not enough can be said about this amazing man, leader, and scout. I’ve learned so many things from Mike; preparation, work habits, humility, the list goes on and on. But the one that probably stands out the most is how to treat people. He treated everyone the same regardless of their position or status. He “genuinely” cared about people and made everyone feel special and validated. It’s hard to call it a leadership “style” because it wasn’t an act or something he learned in a book. It’s who he truly was.” Radcliff was the Twins Scouting Director for 14 years. When he was promoted, Deron Johnson took over the position and held it until late in 2016. Sean Johnson was named the Director of Amateur Scouting in 2017, and was promoted to Vice President of Amateur Scouting in January. He joined the organization as an area scout in 2002. In 2007, he became the West Coast Supervisor and remained in that role until 2017. Royce Lewis became his first, first-round pick. Sean Johnson has had a strong relationship with Mike Radcliff over the past 22 years. “Hard to boil down all of the things I learned from Mike, as he was the greatest teacher I’ve ever had in my life.” He noted four things in particular that he learned during his time with Mike Radcliff. They are as follows: 1 - Lead with Humility “Mike was a father figure to some, a mentor to many, and a friend to everyone who crossed his path. The way he handled people was remarkable. He had this unique way to make scouts feel comfortable and confident with their scouting opinions, even though you knew he probably knew more about the player being discussed than you did. You always walked away from Mike feeling like he valued your opinion and the work you had done coming up with that opinion. He treated everyone the same from first-week-on-the-job interns to hall of fame executives. He worked every single day for four decades with zero ego.” 2 - He was a Great Listener “Mike spent far more time listening than he did talking. His ability to build consensus on a baseball decision was masterful. He was the best at getting people to pull in the same direction in an attempt to make the best decision possible. He loved creating these spaces where lengthy, in-depth baseball conversations happened. He wasn’t afraid to stir the pot or side with the unpopular opinion. During player conversations in the draft room he would always say, 'Well, I hate to play devil’s advocate here…' - which we all knew was a lie. Mike believed healthy debate and discourse would help guide our group to the best version of our opinion on a player.” 3 - He Defined Consistency “When we start to mold and develop our new scouts, we preach a lot about consistency being the key to being a great area scout. Preparation, organization, communication, getting to the ballpark early, gathering more information about a player than the other 29 teams are, etc. Mike defined consistency. I never once saw him less than 100 percent prepared for any situation.” 4 - He Believed in a Player’s Makeup as a Separating Tool “Mike believed that knowing as much as we could about a player’s makeup and ability to compete was the separator in the draft room. If we knew how a player was wired and how that player was as a person away from the ballpark, we had a much better chance of making the right selection when it was our turn to pick. When Mike would ask you about a specific player on your draft list, it was a rare occasion when he wouldn’t ask you about what you knew about that player’s makeup.” A week ago, I shared my thoughts and experiences with Mike Radcliff, and we followed that up with comments from former Twins players such as Brian Dozier, Josh Rabe, and several others. Today I hope you have enjoyed the stories shared by some of the scouts that he worked with. Even more, it is fun to read what these scouts learned from Mike Radcliff on the baseball field, as a scout, and just in life. I’m sure there’s something in there that we all can learn from. John Wilson concluded by saying, “I think what I’ll miss most is the friendship. The ability to just call him up and hear him answer ‘Howdy,’ and we just talk about whatever; Players, children or just life, Mike had insight into all of it. I am extremely grateful for having Mike Radcliff in my life.” Finally, Mike Ruth shared, “His passing leaves a giant void in the lives of so many who he touched over the years. He was the greatest scout most of us ever saw but he was even better as a friend and leader.” Radcliff’s visitation and funeral will be on Wednesday, February 15th,at Lee’s Summit Christian Church in Lee’s Summit, Missouri. It is a suburb on the southeast side of Kansas City. Mike was passionate about the game of baseball and the Minnesota Twins. If anyone is interested, the family suggests any donations be made to the Minnesota Twins Community Fund or the Kansas City MLB Urban Youth Academy. These memorials will be used to promote and support youth baseball and soft-ball programs in honor of Mike’s passion for the game. View full article

Deron (Twins Scouting Director, 2007-16) and Sean (Scouting Director, 2016-Present) are not related by blood, but their similar histories in baseball and with the Twins serve not only as ties that bind them but also as beacons for the Black community. Growing up in Vallejo, California, now a bustling metropolis just south of Napa Valley and across the bay from San Francisco, Deron Johnson always thought of himself as more of a basketball guy. That is until he got to high school. “My basketball skills weren’t where I thought they would be,” Johnson said with a wry smile, perhaps the heartache still a little raw. But even then, reality didn’t sit in until after his junior year, one in which he stopped playing baseball entirely. “I had aspirations of playing point guard in the PAC10. That didn’t happen, obviously.” Johnson picked up baseball again his senior season, a decision that would profoundly impact his life moving forward. He eventually walked on at St. Mary’s College in Moraga, California, and earned a partial scholarship before signing with the Pittsburgh Pirates during his senior season in 1988. Johnson’s life as a professional athlete was short-lived, having been cut by the Pirates in 1990 after posting a .225/.292/.370 slash line across rookie ball, Low-, and High-A. What followed was another period in which the game of baseball had lost its luster in Johnson’s eyes. But once again, a moment of serendipity occurred. Johnson was hired as a full-time assistant coach and recruiting coordinator at the University of San Francisco in 1992 and in no time fell in love with the process of scouting and recruiting. (He didn’t really care much for the on-field aspect of his job, he was quick to point out.) After yet another moment of what can only be described as divine intervention — the story involves a menagerie of scouts wanting and finding new jobs — the Twins’ Northern California Area Scout position opened in 1994, and Johnson was brought on. He eventually worked his way to earning a promotion to serve as the team’s Director of Scouting in 2007, a position he held for nine seasons. In 2016, he transitioned to a senior advising role. * * * Sean Johnson’s path took a slightly different route. Sean, a catcher who had a mind for the game and unparalleled work ethic, appeared in only 20 games during his four years as a member of the Wichita State University Shockers baseball team during the mid-1990s. He wasn't an elite athlete, nor did he have the defensive chops to warrant more playing time, but that didn't stop Sean from trying to have a positive impact on this team. “I always loved throwing to him,” former MLB pitcher Nate Robertson told The Wichita Eagle in 2016. “He always tried to get things as close to perfect as possible. He could read hitters. He knew how to set up a sequence of pitches.” While his production for the Shockers was not enough to earn him a spot in an MLB farm system, his experience in Wichita was exactly what eventually led him to Major League Baseball. “Being able to be a product of the Wichita State baseball program gave me a ton of exposure to being around scouts since we had a good amount of [draft picks] every year when I was there,” Sean said. “I was very fortunate that [former Miami Marlins scout and current assistant general manager for the Detroit Tigers] David Chadd also lived in Wichita, was very close to the coaching staff at WSU, and offered me a scouting opportunity with the Marlins.” Unfortunately, soon after his arrival in Florida, the Marlins went through an ownership change, and Sean was let go. However, he did not remain a free agent for long. “Long story short, I’m grateful that Deron Johnson and Mike Radcliff gave me an opportunity 20 years ago to join the Minnesota Twins as an area scout.” The Twins brought on Sean to serve as the area scout in the Four Corners region, a post he held for five years before being promoted to West Coast Supervisor in 2007. In 2016, he was promoted to Scouting Director. “I’ve been blessed and fortunate the entire way to have had the opportunity to have amazing mentors and teammates who have shaped me as a scout and also as a leader. It has been an amazing ride so far, and I have loved every second of it.” * * * Both Deron and Sean are Black men who have risen to prominent positions in a sport and league that is predominated by those who are white. While he is proud of what he has accomplished, Deron stated that when he first began working in baseball, it was not necessarily his goal to function as a beacon for the Black community. He simply wanted to do the best job he could. “I just wanted to be a good scout. I soaked up all the information from Mike Radcliff, Terry Ryan, Vern Followell. I just tried to be the best I could be. I was fortunate enough to get promoted, and I owe everything to Bill Smith. He gave me the job of Scouting Director back in 2007,” Deron said. However, his perspective shifted upon being named Scouting Director. “When I took that job, you want to do well. You want to draft All-Stars, you want to draft a ton of big leaguers, you want to put your stamp on it. But as I grew into that role, I wanted to do the best job I could do so the next African-American could have a shot, and hopefully, I did the job well enough that the Sean Johnson’s of the world can get a chance at that job. I’m proud. I thought our group did a pretty good job during my nine years. We signed some pretty good players. I’m very fortunate and thankful and blessed to have that opportunity.” The game of baseball is often discussed as a dying sport among Black youth in America, a sentiment that was backed by both Deron and Sean. The explanations for why baseball is in “a critical state” in the Black community, according to Sean, are myriad, ranging from the price of travel ball to the lack of opportunities to play in a little league to the lack of scholarship availability at the NCAA Division I level to the ever-increasing popularity of basketball and football. However, Deron offered yet another explanation in the form of a challenge to Major League Baseball. “I’ve always said that Major League Baseball needs to step up and be better at marketing the few African-American players that are in the Major Leagues in each city. I remember growing up, and you would see signs, billboards with Vida Blue and Bobby Bonds. I mean, we knew who the Black players were. Major League Baseball could do a better job at marketing the players.” Sean largely concurred, though, despite the challenges facing Black youth in incorporating the game of baseball back into their communities, he remains largely optimistic about the long-term prognosis. “But there is still some hope left for the future. I think the urban MLB academies that have been built around America are a good thing, and we’ve seen those start to bear fruit. There have been Black players showing up at the very top of the draft boards of late. We might see three African-American high school players go in the first ten picks of this draft — another good signal. But overall, I think there’s still much work to do to keep Black teens playing our sport.” MORE FROM TWINS DAILY — Latest Twins coverage from our writers — Recent Twins discussion in our forums — Follow Twins Daily via Twitter, Facebook, or email — Read more from Lucas here View full article

When picking near the end of the first round of the MLB draft, it’s impossible to know what direction those picks might take. On Sunday night, the Twins selected two high school players with their first round picks. Learn more about RHP Chase Petty and shortstop Owen Miller. “We’ve loved Chase Petty for a long time, and we’ve had a crush on Noah Miller for a long time too. Walking out of the (draft) room with two guys that you love is a feeling you want to have after Day 1. Our group in that room is thrilled.” Twins Scouting Director Sean Johnson at the end of a long, but exciting first day of the 2021 MLB Draft. For the first time, the MLB Draft took place on All Star weekend in the city of the All Star game, Denver, Colorado. Several of the draft prospects were in attendance including the Twins top pick. When the time came for the Twins’ first pick, the commissioner announced that the Twins selected right-handed pitcher Chase Petty from Mainland Regional High School in New Jersey. Petty is touted for having hit triple-digits with his fastball, but on Sunday night, he displayed plenty of personality too. LaTroy Hawkins represented the Twins in Denver at the draft - after managing the American League team of prospects in the Futures Game earlier in the day. Asked if he approved of the pick, Hawkins said, “I didn’t have to approve of it. I liked his personality.” During Petty’s interview on MLB Network, it was mentioned that he threw a no-hitter this year against Millville High School, Mike Trout’s old stomping grounds. Petty nonchalantly said that he’s been in contact with Trout (who was also taken with the 26th overall pick), and that he had texted with him a couple of hours before the draft. He then pointed out that he is having dinner on Monday night with Fernando Tatis, Jr., and Manny Machado (they belong to the same agency). Petty and fellow draft prospect Joe Mack developed their “bromance” and appear to have named themselves Shake-and-Bake. Mack was selected with the 31st overall pick by the Miami Marlins. His older brother, Charles Mack is a catcher for the Ft. Myers Mighty Mussels and was in Denver for the event with his family. Petty said that the two got to know each other. In addition, Petty said that he has trained with Twins 2019 draft pick from St. John’s, RHP Sean Mooney, as well. Last summer, Vanderbilt Jack Leiter texted him and they spent some time working together. Leiter was the second overall pick in the 2021 draft. If there is one knock on Chase Petty that Twins fans may have, it might just be this. “I’m a Yankees fan. My first ever game was at the original Yankees Stadium. It’s by far my favorite stadium I’ve been to.” While Petty has always played middle infield, primarily second base, when he’s not pitching, his favorite players have been a couple of Mets pitchers. “My favorite players, personally, are Marcus Stroman and Jacob de Grom which is funny because they’re on the same team. I’ve talked to Stroman. He and I have developed a little bit of a relationship.” Chase Petty has all the connections. In addition to his personality, Johnson noted his arm strength, “spin talent” and a feel for his changeup. Twins area scout John Wilson coached Petty in the East Coast Pro Showcase last summer and got to know him. The two developed a great relationship there. The Twins also had several Zoom meetings with him last winter. They had medical personnel review his video. So did several in the Twins Player Development group. Let’s start with the velocity. It’s hard to ignore. As you have seen, Petty has hit 102 mph on the radar gun. He said that it has been a process to gain velocity. Petty said it really started his sophomore year when he began training at Baseball Performance Center. “I really started seeing improvements in velocity and everything. They put me on a really tough lifting schedule that obviously worked out. Over the years, I’ve put on more weight. I’ve worked on my mechanics a lot, and through that whole process is when I saw the jump.” When was the first time he hit 100 on a radar gun? Petty, who said he is now 6-1 and 200 pounds, said, “It was in July of last summer.” Asked if there is more in the tank? Petty laughed and said, “Oh yeah. Oh yeah!” Petty is both confident and competitive. “I think you (Twins fans) got the strongest competitor in the draft. I’m going to go out there and do everything I can to help my team win, help the organization win, and I’m just going to give it my all.” But as we know, pitchers in today’s game need more than a fastball to sustain long-term success. Petty said, “I throw a four-seam (fastball), a sinker, a slider and a changeup. Right now, I’m really just working on perfecting everything, perfecting my craft, getting bigger, getting stronger still. And really just putting in the work in the weight room and at my training facility.” Johnson thinks that Petty can be much more than a one-pitch pitcher. “We think he has ceiling to all of his pitches. Obviously he doesn’t need to throw any harder. 101 is definitely a good number, to start with. We see a lot of upside to both breaking balls, especially the slider which we think is going to be a really good pitch, as well as the change. He’s had command of those pitches, especially the change. He’s thrown strikes when we’ve seen him.” Johnson pointed out, “I’m not sure it was a real analytical decision that we used to push us over the hump with Chase. It was more of a scouting evaluation. We loved him. We had him in the first round. Our player development people and everyone else that looked at him and got to know Chase were all on board. As a scouting director, you’re looking for confidence from the group to make the selection.” Johnson continued, “I would say that with both of our picks tonight, our group loved both players equally. We wanted those players, and it feels good to walk out of that room - and I know we’ve got more work to do the next two days - but getting two guys in the barn that you love is a good feeling.” Ten picks after taking Petty, the Twins selected shortstop Noah Miller with the 36th pick, the final pick of Competitive Balance Round A and the final pick of the night. Miller is a shortstop from Ozaukee High School in Wisconsin. His brother Owen made his MLB debut with Cleveland earlier this year. Johnson said, “You can just see the competitiveness in him that he got from his brother, and his family and being in that environment.” Players don’t get selected this high in the draft without incredible baseball tools and talent, but it’s clear that the Twins really the character of both of their Day 1 picks. However, let’s start with Miller’s skill set. Johnson noted, “It’s rare anymore to see a player you believe has hit skills from both sides of the plate. Switch-hitters are pretty rare anymore. He has a great swing from both sides. We think that he will have power from both sides. He’s extremely instinctive as a defender. He’s not the fastest shortstop in the world, but we think that has a chance to stay there for a long time. He’ll profile whether he plays short forever or not. Great hands. Great feet. Great clock. It’s all the things you want to see. He’s super advanced, more advanced than a lot of the college guys you see.” Johnson added, “I’m glad we got him. One of our favorites. You walk into the draft room and there’s certain guys that you don’t want to miss on. And Noah Miller, after the first round, was a guy we did not want to miss on. To get him today was a great feeling.” Joe Bisenius was the Twins area scout and he got to know him really well. The Twins (and likely other teams) benefited from the draft moving from early June to mid-July. Miller didn’t play in the Area Code Games last summer. The Twins were aware of him and liked him, but the extra five to six weeks gave the Twins plenty of time to play catch up. Johnson said, "It doesn't take long to realize that Noah Miller is a rock star." The Twins selected high school players with their first two picks in the draft for the first time since 2016 when the Twins selected four high school hitters with their first four picks in Deron Johnson’s final draft as Scouting Director. Before that, Johnson selected Byron Buxton and Jose Berrios with the team’s first two picks in 2012’s draft. It was a long day for the Twins scouting department. They got to Target Field about noon and then after Day 1 was complete, they continued to work. Starting at noon on Monday, Day 2 begins. Second through tenth round picks will be made. Johnson said, “We’re going to plan scenarios. We’ll come up with some ideas. Some guys may have become signable. Some guys may have fallen short of and decided to go to college, that slipped out of the first round. A lot of conversations with agents, advisors, and with players and get a feel for what our board is going to look like so we are ready to go with our next pick.” What will the Twins do on Day 2? Find out throughout the draft and discuss in the Day 2 Thread. View full article

The Minnesota Twins have selected University of North Carolina first basemen Aaron Sabato with their first-round pick. Sabato has about as much power as any player in this draft, short of first overall pick Spencer Torkelson. He fits in nicely with how the Twins have drafted in recent years.Prior to the MLB Draft, I had Aaron Sabato ranked as the 38th best prospect in the draft. Here is the profile I wrote on Sabato during our pre-draft Top 50 Prospect series. Scouting Grades Hit: 55 Power: 65 Run: 35 Throw: 45 Field: 40 Overall: 50 For a college first baseman, with no real potential to play anywhere but first or DH, you better bring a powerful bat if you want to be considered a potential first-round pick, and that is just what Aaron Sabato does. As a draft eligible sophomore, Sabato’s time to impress scouts at the college level has been limited, but he has made full use of that time. After blasting 18 home runs in 64 games as a true freshman in 2019, Sabato belted another 7 home runs in just 19 games this spring, before the season was cut short. Defensively, things aren’t always the smoothest for Sabato at first-base, though they aren’t bad enough to take his glove off the field just yet. Hopefully with some professional coaching, he can bring up his play closer to average at first base. Aaron Sabato is a young player for a college pick, having just turned 21 last Thursday. After going undrafted coming out of high school in 2018, Sabato tore it up in his freshman season at UNC with an impressive .343/.453/.696 slash line. For his efforts, Sabato won a trophy case full of awards, which includes Co-National Freshman of the Year, first-team All-American, first-team Freshman All-America, NCBWA Freshman Hitter of the Year, first-team All-ACC and ACC Freshman of the Year. He followed that up with a .292/.478/.708 slash line in 19 games this spring before the season got cut short due to COVID-19. Sabato has put his power bat on full display in his time with the Tar Heels, hitting 25 home runs and 31 doubles in just 83 career games. Twins Scouting Director Sean Johnson said of the Twins top pick, "We thought he was the best offensive player left on the board from every standpoint possible. Going back to his season last year, if you look at him analytically, he lined up with some of the guys who went at the very top of the board." This now marks 4-4 on the Twins taking a hitter with their first-round pick, since the current regime took over the team. Personally, I think this strategy makes a lot of sense. Typically, pitchers in the draft come with much more risk than hitters do. The reason being, you never know when a serious injury is going to happen, but they are far more likely to happen with a young pitcher than a young hitter. I think this strategy also speaks to the overall player development strategy of the Twins front office, and that is take talented hitters with good power potential early, then focus on developing pitchers as they come up through the minor league system. This really makes a lot of sense when you consider the background of some of the Twins front office personnel, especially Derek Falvey, who had a big hand in developing the dominate Cleveland Indians starting rotation they had while he was there. Ty Dawson is the Twins area scout for the Carolinas. It was his first season in that role and second in the organization. He joined the organization and spent the first year as a junior college specialist/scout. But Johnson explained that a decision like a first-round draft pick is made by much more than just one person. Johnson noted, ""We did have an all-hands-on-deck approach for this draft. Under the circumstances, Rocco, Mike Bell, Wes Johnson, and on down, all of our player development people, from Jeremy Zoll and Alex Hassan, all of our coordinators. I would say we had upwards of 50 Twins employees that had some opinion on this group of players, from the scouts, PD (Player Development), front office. We asked for a lot of opinions. We really believe in wisdom of crowds. We tried to look at the player from every direction possible." Read up on some of the other great draft coverage on Twins Daily Minnesota Twins Draft Preview 2020 MLB Draft Day 1 Thread How Should the Twins Strategically Approach the MLB Draft? First Round Busts: The Twins Struckout Three Consecutive Years Reviewing Minnesota’s Recent First-Round Picks What does MLB History Say About the 27th Pick? Mike Trout and 3 Other Stars the Twins Passed On in the MLB Draft MORE FROM TWINS DAILY — Latest Twins coverage from our writers — Recent Twins discussion in our forums — Follow Twins Daily via Twitter, Facebook or email Click here to view the article

On Monday night, Seth was joined by three new guests on Episode 9 of his weekly Twins On Deck Podcast. Leading off the show was Gophers junior shortstop Terrin Vavra. He was followed by Twins right-handed pitching prospect Randy Dobnak. The final guest was the Twins Scouting Director Sean Johnson. You can listen the entire show here, or go to iTunes and search "Minnesota Sports Weekly."It was a fun-filled episode of Twins On Deck last night. As the season gets going, we're likely to have just three guests each week rather than the five guests we've had throughout the offseason. Today in Ft. Myers, minor leaguers will be reporting to spring training. It's obviously a big day for over 100 MLB hopefuls as they get a new opportunity to make an impression and move up the ladder. The last name of our first guest is familiar to Twins fans. Terrin Vavra is the son of former Twins coach (hitting coach, bench coach, etc.) Joe Vavra who joined Ron Gardenhire's staff in Detroit this offseason. He is the younger brother of former Twins minor leaguers Tanner Vavra and Trey Vavra. Terrin is the shortstop for the Minnesota Gophers again this year, and he's off to a fantastic start.Through the team's first 12 games, he is hitting .420/.482/.580 (1.062) with a double, two triples and a home run. We discussed Tanner's youth and some of his memories from being in the Twins clubhouse at Metrodome, Target Field and Hammond Stadium. But we also talk about his terrific season and career-to-date at the University of Minnesota. Not only is he hitting, but he's got just one error on the season at shortstop. The second guest may be a more unfamiliar name to many Twins fans, but he certainly is intriguing. Randy Dobnak went to Division II Alderson Broadus University in West Virginia where he was a four-year starting pitcher. He went undrafted and was set to play in the USPBL (United Shores Professional Baseball League) when he got a call from the Twins. He quickly signed and reported to Elizabethton. He then joined the Cedar Rapids Kernels and made a start for them at the end of the season, and another in the playoffs. I often say that it's a lot of fun to follow the top prospects and the first round picks, but the stories of the four-year college guys and the non-drafted free agents are often just as fun and more interesting. Find out about Dobnak's background and what he's got that made him interesting to the Twins staff. Finally, we were joined by the Twins Scouting Director, Sean Johnson. Now working hard for his second draft in charge, Johnson noted the he watched 11 baseball games in four days last weekend, came home for part of a day, and then flew out again to watch a lot more baseball. It's amazing what the scouts do for an organization, usually without my fanfare. Get to know Sean's path from player at Wichita State, to Twins area scout and up to the Scouting Director position. Learn what the Twins look for in scouts and what the schedule really looks like for them. We discussed the collaboration between the scouting department and the front office and even the on-field staff. As he noted, "We want to get everybody’s opinion on a topic." For instance, later this month, Johnson and some of the scouting supervisors will be at spring training for a few days to meet with people. "We’re going to have a video meeting with our player development, mainly the coaches. We’re going to (discuss) some guys that we’re considering at pick 20, that we think might be there, and get their insight. What do you think of this delivery? What do you think of this swing? Which we did last year as well and it was super helpful on guys like Royce Lewis and Blayne Enlow, just to name a couple. The insights that they gave us kind of kept us in the race on those guys and gave us confidence to take them. So there’s no boundaries here when we talk about decision-making across the board, whether it’s scouting or whether to move a guy up in player development. There’s a lot of people who get asked their opinion which really connects this group, and I think it’s at a level it’s never been at before and it feels really good to get it to that level." Speaking of Royce Lewis. He was a guest on Episode 2 and Episode 8 of the Twins On Deck Podcast. He continues to note that he had no idea that the Twins were going to take him at #1 until he heard the selection on TV. So I asked Sean how long before they made the pick they knew they were going to take Royce Lewis. "Going back to that day, we tried to keep the decision open until the very end. Some of that is talking to the agents, but like I’ve said, Royce was our guy. This was the guy we wanted, our group wanted. So it was a matter of making sure we could get the agreement done with Scott Boras and his group." Johnson continued, "He’s telling the truth. He didn’t know because, I’m going to say, seven minutes before the draft we knew were were taking him. He couldn’t have known. His reaction, you could tell if you were watching on TV, he was truly… that was real emotion, which is who he is. He’s a great kid, as you know and as most of the Twins fans will come to know. He’s just as good of a kid as you can come across, and we’re glad to have him." There's so much more interesting discussion with Sean Johnson and with all three of our guests in this week's podcast, so be sure to check it out. And if you haven't, see below for a listing of the guests from the previous episodes. -------------------------------------------------------------------------- To listen to Monday night's show, click here. Either way, you'll want to listen and learn more about some Twins minor leaguers and more. Also, if you subscribe to "Minnesota Sports Weekly" on iTunes, you'll also be able to listen to these shows. PREVIOUS EPISODES While you're eagerly anticipating tonight's show, tune in to some of the previous episodes... Episode 1: Twins (LaMonte Wade, Stephen Gonsalves, Tyler Wells), Gophers (Luke Pettersen), MLB.com's prospect guru Jonathan Mayo. Episode 2: Twins (Aaron Slegers, Alex Kirilloff, Brent Rooker, Royce Lewis), Gophers (Toby Hanson) Episode 3: Twins (Bryan Sammons, Ryley Widell, Zack Littell, Travis Blankenhorn), Gophers (Alex Boxwell) Episode 4: Twins (Zack Granite, Nelson Molina, Lewis Thorpe, Josh Rabe), and Baseball HQ prospect guru, Chris Blessing. Episode 5: Twins prospects Charlie Barnes, Alex Robles, Tyler Watson, David Banuelos. Episode 6: Twins prospects Clark Beeker and Hector Lujan, Gopher senior infielder Micah Coffey, and Twins radio voice Cory Provus. Episode 7: Twins prospects Jake Reed and Jordan Gore, Gophers senior infielder Luke Pettersen, former Twins pitcher Pat Mahomes, and Twins TV voice Dick Bremer. Episode 8: Twins prospects Royce Lewis, Trey Cabbage and Sean Miller, former Twins prospect and current Miracle hitting coach Steve Singleton, and former Twins prospect and Gophers shortstop AJ Pettersen. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Finally, take a moment and join this year's Twins Adopt-A-Prospect. Get to know all about a Twins prospect, start a forum thread for them and then brag them up throughout the season. Check it out right here. Click here to view the article

It was time for a change. On the first day of the 2016 Winter Meetings in National Harbor, Maryland, the Minnesota Twins announced a shake up within their scouting department. Deron Johnson, who was the director of scouting since 2007, has been promoted to senior advisor and will strictly evaluate the top talent here in the states and abroad. In a corresponding move, Sean Johnson was promoted from West Coast supervisor to director of scouting and will oversee all preparation for the upcoming MLB Draft, where the Twins will have the first overall pick in June. He will also manage the team’s 27-person scouting staff. The Twins scouting department has been considered to be one of the best in the majors since the 1980s. However, their recent draft history and amateur free agent signings have gained somewhat mixed results, with the top players such as 2B Brian Dozier and OF Max Kepler reaching the majors. Others (OF Brian Buxton, P Tyler Duffy and P Trevor May) have shown some promise, but all have struggled at the big league level and none appear likely to become a bona-fide superstar. Twins owner Jim Pohlad overhauled his front office following the firing of Terry Ryan in July, who went to the LA Dodgers. He wanted to join the growing trend of hiring a president of baseball operations as well as a general manager. Pohlad hired Derek Falvey as Chief Baseball Officer, who had the authority to bring Thad Levine in as the team’s GM. The franchise had only five GMs since moving to Minnesota over a half century ago. The culture of the Twins has changed dramatically from “The Little Engine That Could” to avoiding trading away quality players for a mediocre package of talent. Why? Well, it’s because the division has become more difficult to win each year. Levine felt these promotions reflected the evolution of the franchise and hopefully shape their philosophy in acquiring players moving forward. This was the final move in the team’s restructuring process of their front office, as they want to create a two-tier management structure that oversees the day-to-day operations while developing quality talent in their minor league system. All of these moves come off a hugely disappointing 2016 season the Twins just had. The Twins new management team wanted to expand Deron Johnson’s role within the organization, as they need to become a little more proactive in recognizing quality talent. He joined the Twins organization in 1994, and was apart of the decision process to select outfielder Aaron Hicks with the first pick of the MLB Draft later that summer. Sean Johnson became apart of the Twins organization as an area scout in 2002, and will have final say on all draft selections. He expects not to sleep much in his own bed after the holidays because there’s work to be done before the start of spring training. The Johnsons together are the right candidates for the job, as each are committed to building a championship team for the Twin Cities. The Pohlad family is still believe in letting their baseball people to make baseball decisions.

As Spring Training approaches, we’ve hashed and re-hashed Prospect Lists. We’ve dissected the signing of Kevin Correia many times over. We’ve projected lineups of every affiliate. There are few things more informative than talking with those that are behind the information. So today let’s do something else. Let’s talk scouting with West Coast Scouting Supervisor Sean Johnson. ---- First off, huge thanks to Sean! As baseball is starting to get rolling, he took some time out of his schedule to answer some questions and shed some light on our favorite franchise.[PRBREAK][/PRBREAK] Sean had great things to say about the organization “from the top down” and exudes the “Twins Way positivity”. My original plan was the use quotes to formulate an article, but when you find all the quotes are worth using, it’s going to be presented in a Q and A fashion. I apologize for the lengthiness, but it’s should make for a great read. (www.texastech.com) ---- Jeremy Nygaard: It’s great to catch you: A guy on the “front lines”. What’s the scouting life like? After seeing Trouble with the Curve, is that realistic? Sean Johnson: It’s not as gloomy as Clint Eastwood’s character. It’s not that bad. The time on the road is extensive in the spring. Guys are away from their family and friends. From now until draft day, you go where the players are. There’s not a lot of off days. I’m bouncing all over the country. It’s real hectic. I spend most of my time in California. If there’s a guy you have to see, it’s his last high-school start and his team isn’t going to make the playoffs, you have to make a decision. Deron [Johnson, the Twins Director of Scouting] might have to be in Seattle or might have to be in Miami for one last look before the draft. You have to be flexible. JN: You’re listed in the Media Guide as the “West Coast Scouting Supervisor”. Do the Twins have “crosscheckers”? SJ: Yeah, we have four regional supervisors. We have two “National Crosscheckers” that don’t supervise any areas. Tim O’Neil is dedicated to the amateur world year-round. Earl Frishman does national work too, but also spring training and pro scouting in the summer. Most teams have “crosscheckers”. Some have “scouting supervisors”. The only difference is that [as a supervisor] I’m directly in charge of the scouts on the west coast. We get to hire, or if a guy gets promoted. I talk to my guys on the west coast almost every day in the spring. We’re connected. We compile the information to get to Deron or Mike [Radcliff, Vice President, Player Personnel] and I get it to them. I basically see each one of my area scout’s best players, typically the guys that go in the top five or ten rounds. I see as many as I can and try to put them in some kind of an order. So take the catcher in Southern California versus the catcher in, say, Denver. Which one do I think is better? Or do I think that someone else might need to come and see? JN: How do you stack a draft board when not everybody is familiar with all the guys? SJ: We rely on the area scouts and their conviction levels in the lower rounds to help us figure out who to select. We don’t have enough time in the spring to get lots of looks at every player we turn in. JN: So when the draft rolls around, are you in the Cities for that? SJ: Yeah, we’ll come in and have about seven full days of preparation. From 9 am until we are done. We used to go crazy, get in at nine and leave at 11 pm. The way we set it up is that we have them ordered by the grades we’ve given them walking in the room. Now we can get it done in time to go grab a nice dinner and go get some sleep. JN: How many guys are there? SJ: The draft room usually has about 10 guys. Most teams don’t bring everybody in. The room in Target Field is much nicer than the room in the Metrodome. We were in a poorly vented room downstairs. Down in the dungeon, we’d have fans we’d have to bring in and coolers with ice for our drinks. It was really blue-collar. But it was what it was and we made it work. Since moving to Target Field it’s like we moved to Taj Mahal. We have a room with a projector. We can watch film. We have a place to make coffee and can bring some food in. It’s got air-conditioning. It’s not the biggest room in the world either, but it’s adequate. So we’ll have about ten of our scouts and Terry Ryan is there for the whole thing. JN: How has draft changed? A handful of years ago it was on ESPN2 in the middle of the day. Now it’s an event… SJ: Things haven’t really changed. Obviously we’re happy it’s becoming an event. It will never be as big as the NFL draft. Those guys are already famous. That’s what will prevent our draft from becoming extremely popular. No one knows who these guys are. We took Aaron Hicks. No one knew who he was. We’re projecting on a 17 or 18-year-old kid. Hopefully he’s good. Check in in five years and see how he’s doing. It’s a totally different dynamic. It’s great for our sport, but it doesn’t really change our approach. The draft used to go much faster. Last year it was more fun because we had more picks. Now there is more time in between picks. It used to be just one big conference call. It wasn’t on TV. It seemed like it was really fast. My first draft was 2002 and I couldn’t believe how fast it went. Now there’s a minute between picks, which gives you a little bit of time to collect your thoughts in case a guy you wanted gets picked. There’s a little more strategy to it, which is good. JN: Later in the draft it seems so rapid-fire. Does it happen very often where a guy you’re looking to take gets picked or is it that the draft pool is so large that the odds or your guy going is pretty small? SJ: It happens a lot more in the first ten rounds. Everybody has the same 90 or 100 guys at the top because their tools are much more evident. Those guys stand out, everyone has scouted them. They’re a little more famous. But once you get a little later – to the 3rd or the 4th round – you can see a guy taken that you didn’t like at all and he goes in the 3rd round. There could be a guy that goes that you’ve never heard of. That’s happens more on Day 2 and 3. Later though guys get picked off less than you’d think. At that point teams like different guys, scouts turn different guys in. You’re going to have 1500 players get drafted. Our scouts don’t turn all those guys in. Some teams will take guys [they have connections to] later. Maybe the Tigers take Ty Cobb’s great-great-grandson. We don’t have any of those “favor picks” as we call them. So-and-so’s whoever… we don’t typically do that. JN: How many guys do you typically have on your draft board? SJ: We usually turn in around 900 guys. We’ll have about 900 tags in our room - which is overwhelming. We’re only going to get 40 of them. JN: Up until last year – before the CBA changes – you had a pretty good idea about what teams might take a guy that slips. Last year, the Astros save money right away and take expensive guys later. The Blue Jays take expensive guys early and draft college seniors later. The Twins did what the Twins do. Take a guy, pay him near slot. Is there a lot of strategy? SJ: We contemplated doing all that stuff. It was the first year; there was a lot of feeling out. We didn’t know what other teams were going to do. We knew someone would re-arrange their money to squeeze out one more guy. First, you have to analyze the draft crop and see what the strengths are. Obviously we thought about all the scenarios, but you don’t want to save money up for a guy who might not be there. We really like Buxton. We saved some money here and there, but we always just tried to take the next best guy. Next year we have one of the biggest pools. We had a huge pool last year. We can explore. If we don’t like any of the guys that want a certain amount of money, we have options. There’s not clear cut group of four or five guys. It’s wide open. JN: But it’s still early… SJ: I mean, Bryce Harper isn’t going to come out of nowhere in March. We’ve seen all the guys. The high-school crop of pitching is down. Most of the better arms are college guys this year. There are not a lot of great bats in this draft. It’s a shallow draft this year. High-school right-handed pitching is way down. There’s some high-school catching, there’s some high-school left-handers. There’s some power armed college-armed at the top… Look at Dylan Bundy’s year. It would be Bundy and everybody else in this draft. Archie Bradley and everybody else, Rendon… JN: How about Appel? Do you treat him differently? SJ: Well he’s not going to come at a discount. His advisors aren’t going to let him take a discount. They think he’s the best guy in the draft and he will get a chance to prove it. He might be. I wouldn’t plan on him taking a discount, no. JN: Didn’t he want the full pick value for #1 no matter where he went last year? SJ: I can’t answer that. I don’t think anybody can answer that. JN: When he didn’t go first overall, was that a big shock to you in the Twins draft room? SJ: We knew from talking to other people that Houston was taking the temperature of a lot of guys, all who went in the Top 10. They weren’t dead-set on him, we could tell that. He seemed like the right fit, Houston-kid, it all made sense. But you never know. It was all tight-lipped and all hush-hush. But no, it wasn’t a shock. We knew there was a chance he wouldn’t sign, or be hesitant, if the money wasn’t right. Houston did a great job, we commend them. They got a great player - we like Correa too - and loaded up with Rio Ruiz and Lance McCullers. If you can squeak another player out of the draft… if you get two big-league players out of the draft, that’s a good draft. JN: Tell me about Zack Jones. SJ: Elliott Strankman, my area scout, really liked him. He saw him pitch a lot and everyone that saw him believed he would have one of the best fastballs in that draft. He was on a bad team at San Jose State and they started him. He’s a high-wired, amped-up guy who throws it hard and tries to strike people out. It’s going to come down to him developing a breaking ball, which we think he will add over time. We like his athleticism; he played shortstop back in the day. He’s got good life on his fastball throwing it 95 or 96. When we got him, we were pumped; we were high-fiving in the Draft room. To get to the big leagues, he’s going to have to have a secondary pitch to finish hitters off. It doesn’t matter how hard you throw it if that’s all you have. JN: A lot of the college relievers will get a chance to start, will Jones? SJ: No, he’s locked in the bullpen. JN: With a chance to move quick? SJ: Absolutely. We’ll keep challenging him. Our hope is that he’ll start in Fort Myers. Mason Melotakis and Tyler Duffey, those guys are going to be starters this year. JN: Speaking of that, are assignments determined in Spring Training? Or are they decided ahead of time? How does that work out? SJ: There are group of guys that put their heads together. There is some Spring Training element to it, when a guy shows up he needs to look like he can play. The rule of thumb is that you want to start a guy at a level he can handle and survive and succeed and build confidence at that level. And when he does, he’s ready for the next level. It’s one step at a time with us. No one is entitled by any means. There’s a lot that goes into it. More than people think. JN: Any feelings on other guys? SJ: I saw Buxton in Elizabethton. The sky’s the limit with that guy. He’s a gifted player. We really like Berrios. He’s not the biggest guy, but he’s got a live arm and great feel. JN: How about Travis Harrison? SJ: I saw him this summer. He’s in really good shape. The power hasn’t come yet, but he can really hit. We’re counting on him. Where he’s going to end defensively, I don’t know. He’d tell you he’s a good hitter, not a slugger. He can go foul line to foul line. He’s hitting for a good average and taking good at-bats, a lot like Aaron Hicks was. Guys change a lot from 18 to 23. JN: He’s going to stay at third for now? SJ: I think that’s the plan. We hope he’ll start at Cedar Rapids. JN: It seems like the farm system has more “prospects” in it. That’s a testament to you guys doing a great job. SJ: We think we’re going in the right direction, but we’re not satisfied. We need to have another good draft next year. We feel good about last year’s draft. But that’s over with. Time to knock it out of the park again! JN: When does the page turn on the draft? As soon as the previous draft is over? SJ: It’s faster than that actually. We had one year where we took the tables down in the draft room and talked about our picks and literally 40 minutes later we’re in the press box watching the next crop of guys play for four days. It was a very quick turnaround. ---- Sean and I talked about other baseball-related happenings before our conversation took an interesting turn when we started talking about the Prospect Handbook. SJ: We follow the site. We get on there every now and then. Before it was TwinsDaily, when it was Seth’s deal, we go on there to see what you guys are saying. The thing with scouting is that you can get out of touch with reality. What we think and what other people think and the other 29 teams in the league think about our players. Most of the guys you get in the draft, you like those guys more than the other teams, that’s how you got them. It’s good to get that perspective: Are we really getting the right guy, or do we just think we are? We talked some about prospect rankings and how some publications form their opinions and how a lot of the publications and people involved are very informed. Sean put it all into perspective. SJ: I looked at Baseball America’s Top 30; I thought they did a good job. But who cares what order they’re in? They’re all prospects. Either they’re gonna make it or they’re not. And a tip for anyone who aspires to be a scout someday: SJ: Focus on what a guy can do, not what he can’t. We’ll spend the rest of his career telling him what he can’t do. View full article